The invention relates to a lashing platform comprising a base frame, a setting plate resiliently supported on the base frame, a plurality of screwing devices for inserting twistlocks into container fittings or removing twistlocks from container fittings, a plurality of magazines for accommodating the twistlocks, and a plurality of transfer devices for transferring a twistlock from a magazine to a screwing device or from a screwing device to a magazine.
Lashing platforms are known in various designs. They exhibit a setting plate for accommodating one or more containers and screwing devices of differing designs for removing twistlocks from the container fittings or inserting twistlocks into the container fittings.
The advantage of a lashing platform consists in the fact that the action of inserting and removing the twistlocks, that is otherwise carried out manually and that necessitates considerable safety requirements to avoid accidents, is carried but automatically; the workers not being in the danger zone of the container and thus more relaxed safety requirements being applied. The containers can thus be transferred in less time.
A lashing platform of particularly advantageous design is for example known from WO 2007/098749 A1. It features a setting plate for containers that can be lowered, wherein on lowering the plate, gas reservoirs arranged below the setting plate being compressed by the container set down thereon and the compressed gas being fed to a compressed-air reservoir. The energy stored in the compressed-air reservoir can then he made available for driving the lashing platform.
The lashing platform known from WO 2007/098749 A1 can thus be operated as an independent system without any supply lines.
In particular WO 2007/098749 A1 suggests a lashing platform that can accommodate either a 20′ container, two 20′ containers in twin operation, or a 40′ container (20′ or 40′=20 feet resp. 40 feet).
A disadvantage of this platform however is that differently sized containers, e. g. a 45′container, cannot be accommodated by this lashing platform or processed with it.
In contrast RAM (Singapore) is known to have the lashing platform RAM 4000 for accommodating a 20′ container, two 20′ containers in twin operation, and a 40′container, in addition it being possible to set down also a 45′ container on the lashing platform. Using this known lashing platform the most common container sizes can be handled.
However a disadvantage of this solution is that a 45′ container can only be set down on the platform but cannot be freed from the twistlocks automatically or provided with them. Rather a 45′ container projects over the dimensions of these known lashing platforms so that the twistlocks must further be removed manually from the container fittings or inserted into them. This again gives rise to a potentially risky work situation for the lashing workers.
In addition the 45′containers are only insufficiently secured on the lashing platform, that is only on their long sides, and projects over the lashing platform which is problematic in terms of safety aspects, e. g. for the quayside traffic.
Even though from DE 103 01 197 A1 a lashing platform consisting of four container parts is known, it being possible to move the container parts relative to one another in the longitudinal direction to enable adaptation to different container sizes. However a lashing platform of variable size presents a further safety risk for the personnel working at ground level.